PHOTO: CNY CENTRAL

(WENY) -- Small colleges across the state and country have been closing, among them Saint Rose in Albany and Cazenovia College. Wells College is the latest to close, announcing on April 29th they'd be shutting down at the end of the semester.  This leaves students and families rushing to find other options for next school year.

"It is definitely stressful under short notice," said Maddison Pack, a senior who planned to attend Wells College next year.

Pack signed to play softball at the college back in December.  Planning to go pre-dental, Pack said she was excited for this next chapter in life.  All that changed when she learned Wells College was closing, before she could even start school.

"I was very devastated because I was really looking forward to going there. I was just there the Saturday prior, and I had no clue about it until I had to find out by hearing it from someone who already goes there that's on the [softball] team," said Pack.

Now, Pack says she has to find a different college that meets her needs, and fast.  Families are left trying to figure out financial aid, enrollment, and future plans for their children. Joe Colunio's son is finishing his freshman year at Wells College. Colunio said his son had picked classes for next semester, just one week before the closing was announced.

"It leaves me looking for a place for him to go that he'll enjoy to play [base ball], and he's very upset. Like I said, he's been on the phone. I've been working all day and he's been on the phone pretty much all day with me," said Colunio.

On April 29th, Wells College released a statement about the closing.  They cited financial issues, Covid, a smaller pool of undergrads, inflation, and a 'negative sentiment towards higher education' as the reasons for closing.  The full statement from Wells College can be found here.